Window scaffold



c. H. FARLEY 1,928,124

WINDOW SCAFFOLD Filed Dec. 5, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 26, 1933.

J a R m WH I 1 w y 1 W a i 4/, ,2 M I f M 1 I ma W m a m. 2

Sept. 26, 1933. c, H. FARLEY WINDOW SCAFFOLD Filed Dec. 5, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NRA INVENTOR Cyrus Hm Xttarwey.

Patented Sept..26, 1933 v i Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI v WINDOW SOAFFQLD Cyrus H. Farley Portland, M II I I Applicatim December 932.asefia11vb. 645.668,

4 Claims- (01. 304...

My invention relates, in general terms, toapof the lateral arms abutting on the window frame 5 paratus employed for supporting workmen in an finish I y L a l elevated position outside of buildings, andin the, Fig. 7 shows, diagrammaticallmthe method of I present instance I'have electedto illustrate and suspending thescaffold, and I I v 5 describe it in its application .to' and adaptability Fig. 8'is a modification in the method of ate 5.

for window washing purposes. I a taching the upper ends of the guy ropes.

.The cleaning of the outside of windows; par- Similarreference characters indicateand identicularly in high buildings, is-a precarious occutify like parts in all views of the drawings, pation, and anything which will add to the safety Referring to the'drawings' W represents a win-'- 10 and security of life of the workman is useful and dow in the window frame Wa; Wb is the window I I desirable. I I stool and-We the window silltofsome building,

In my present conception I have sought to prosayv an office or factory structure; 1 V vide a portable scaffold having the necessary ,Supportedat oneof itsends on the window safeguards to insure against accident to the workstool, is a-tubular' scaffold frame having longia d further, of such simple construction as tudinal side members,1, 1,'a'eentrallongitudinal Q will permit of its being easilyand quickly atmember 1aandtransversefmembers 2, 2, etc., in-

tached to and detached from the window frame terconnecting the longitudinal elements; of a building. Another object is to provide fold- Rotativelyimountedjoneachof the membersl,

' I ability torthe apparatus so that in transporting is aside arm; comprisingabody'portionfibored' it there will be less bulk and inconvenience in to fit the memberl closely, and an extended shaft handling it. 1 i I portion 4'vvhich, for the .purposeof protecting Briefly, the device comprises a tubular frame the finish on the-.windowcasing, ,1 preferably of skeleton construction, with two lateral arms cover with a rubber tube-5, extending from the frame to engage the inside ,Also revolubly mounted on each of theimem-g 35 finish on each side of the window frame, and, two hers I is .a dep isting of aT portion legs depending from the side members ofthe 6 and an angul y b tp p 1 e Offset scaifoldframe adapted to abut on the outside of portion gbeing arranged to point w and the wall of the building, A adapted-to abut against-the wall Wd-of the A wooden platform, with railing around three building when, the app atus is installed inla of its sides, is mounted on the scaffold frame, Wi d0W P i i and for further security two guy ropes co n t, outwardly of each, of the elements 6 is a collar hooks fixed on the outer end of the scaffold frame 8 providedwith a handle set screwv 9 by which with permanentlyattachedcleats on the window to secure the collar on the member ,1 in close frame finish. I relation to the element 6; the'collar acts as a I h apparatus is adjustable for use in windo stop to prevent outward movement of the de-' 90 frames varying more or less in width,,the lateral P n Structure arms being made long enough for this pur At the extreme outer end of thescaffold-frame, The longitudinaladjustability of the depending on members are WO eye-boltsll), nd I legs accommodates them to varying overhangs of 011 89-611 of the yes'is a o 11.

40 window si11s I I I .Secured permanently to any convenient por- 95 I haveiillustrated my invention in the accom tion of the Window frame finish, a the upper panying drawings in which, I I v Y end. and at, both sides ofv the window frame, is a Fig.1 isa perspective view .of the apparatus havmg a outwardlyprojectillgakrmb I Shown mounted in a window frame; 12a with an interconnecting neck portionv 12 Figs. ,2 and 3 represent, respectively, the two uppcr'securing members to which the guy ropes rope. is made fast, 1. I I I are h 7 y In mountingthe member'13 on the cleat 12-, F a 4 5 a Perspectwe of the tubular a the knob '12a is first inserted inthe opening 136 fold frame, wnj full e as would e which permits the neck portion 12b to slide along 59911011 building and in dotted i e Where the in the narrow slot 130 until it reaches theend p s a e folded o sp a i I of the slotjth'e knob Iprevents displacement of Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the frame the ring fromthe cleat while thus positioned. mounted in a windowfram'e; 1 I The lower end of the guy rope has a spliced eye Fig. 6 a fragmentary p'lan'view showing one 14a, ,whichengages the hook 11 on each sideof cleat and through its-lower opening 13a a guy An elongated ring element ,13 :hangs from the ,1

the scaffold frame. On the scaffold frame is poshown.

sitioned a platform 15, rising from which-are standards 16 which support the railing 17. The platform has portionsflcut away on each side to provide openings 15a,'making access to the collar screws 9 possible. p

By reference to Figs. 5 and 6 the'positionsof thesca'ffold frame and connecting parts relative to the windowframe structure will be noted, and

the function of each of the elements clearly under'stood. e

The inner end of the scaffold frame rests on the window stool casing and the arms '3 swung outwardly of the side members 1 in a horizontal position, the rubbers 5 engaging the finish .of the" Window casing (shown in plan viewinFig. "6),

on the interior side of thebuilding. The legs '7 are then drawn toward the window'until the caps 7a. abut firmly against the wall Wd, the bent portion of the leg clearing the window sill We, as

; The collars 8 are now moved into contact EWilJh" the-ends; respectivelypof the portions 6 i the depending legs? and locked to the side members 1 by the screws Qfafter' this has been done the platform 'is placed in-position, the guy ropes 14 secured, and the scaffold is ready for service.

The-design of the scaffold is such that it is capable of'sup'porting a man ofmaximum weight fin-safety, even without the-use of the guy ropes;- The diagrammatioal view'shown in Fig. 7 illus-- trates the princi'pleinvolved in the suspension f of my scaffold frame in awindowspace without resort to screws-bolts or clamping paraphernalia.

The scaffold frame mightbe considered as fulcrumniedon thei point flwhere itbears on the window stool) and the weight which would tend tolower the outer endof the frame [applied on its top at, Saythe point- M-this weight'being that of the workman engaged in window-washing. Y "-rNow it is quite evident that the arms 3 will hold the frame against outward fdisplacement from the window space and, provided the frame remains in contact withthe point 1, thatthe. leg at point 7a must first give way before-the,

1 outer endv of'the frame can lower-the'point' 7a swinging,- or rather, in the assumed case it must swing :inan arcf described'by the radiusra. 'Of

"ent viewpoint and consider that'the'point lais have already assumed that it is in contact wit course th s situation could not develop because the wall of the building obviously. prevents the point 'laswinging, and the arms 3 hold the frame from moving out of the window spaceand we the fulcrum point 1. l l But suppose we attack the subject from adifferthe fulcrum, and that weight applied at'M tends to slightly lowe'rthe .outerend of theframe. As

the swinging movement must center. at.'7 a. the

are described bythe radius TI) and cutting the side arms 3 would clearly demonstrate that no appreciable "amount of downward movement could be observed in the frame .as theresist arise-.to outward'movement ofrthe frame by the arms 3 would preclude .the .possibilty of 1 its occurring, the point 'la being somuch lower than the point'3. The action is somwhatanalogoust'ojthat of the jaws'of a monkey wrenchas they straddle the rim' of a pulley in'the act of rotating the 'latter'. -All that is requiredto accompli'sh the"'object"sought is to construct the parts of sufficient-strength and stability.

i -'However,- as an added safeguard, and particularly to take advantage of thepsychologicaleffect on the workmans fmind when he is assured of absolute safety while engaged in his windowwashing duty, I have thought it bestto incorporatethe guy'ropes as a part of my scaffold-supporting said securing structure. i

x The apparatus while built strong and rigid is, nevertheless characterized by. its skeleton form, and thereby, accomplishes one desirable object, lightness inweight'.; Anotherfeature which apto those obliged 'touse-the device is-its compactness vhen the arms 3 and legs '7 are folded as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4. The rails 17 and standards 16 may also-be dissembled from the platform 15, and in this condition the parts -re-- quire but a very shallow box or container for transporting orfstoring.

In Fig. 3 I show a slightly different arrangement done. a

H The cross-bar "abuttingon the windowframe finish and held in place by the suspension hooks;

provides a strong and safe-method of securing'the ropes," furthermoradt is a portable 'aifair' and no permanent attaching elements are required onthe window frame. a I a i The window-washing application' of my invention forms but one'of'several other'adaptations of the apparatus. .In house painting; 'clapb'oard ing, shingling and in fact various other operations connected with construction andrepair work "on the guy ropes are 1 .hookslQ whichfenga'geth'e top of the finish as: On the cross-bar are two hooks 20 to which the outside of buildings 'my apparatus willbefound very advantageous and convenient. a For instance, a scaffold frame might be placed 7 .in each of two adjoining window frames an s staging arranged between the two; with-this com- .bination workmen would be enabled toperform many duties in line of repairs to wallsor f nish of'buildingsingeneral. r 'What-I claimisi- 1. A device of the character described comprising a tubular frame having -.-two longitudinal side'memberaan arm revolubly-mounted on each of said side members, at one end of said frame,

adepending leg revolubly-and slidably mounted on each of-said side'members', outwardlyof'said arms, a collar-on e'aclro'f said sid'e members outwardly of said legs, and means 'tosecure said collars at predetermined points ofsaid side members. r 7

2. Adevice'of the characterdescribed com-f prising a rectangular, tubular-frame having two longitudinal, side 'members', a plurality of transverse members joining said sidemembersfa central longitudinal I member interconnecting s'aid transverse members, a side-arm.revolubleonand disposed near the innerend of-each ofsaid sidemembers, a shaft extending from saidfsidea'rms,

arubber sleeve on each of said shafts-a depend ing leg revolubly. and slidably mountedpneach of said side membersan offset portion. on said along the length r legs, pointin'ginwardly-or toward said arms,

means to secure said legs againstoutward move ment on said side members at'predetermined'poe sitions thereon, and a platform'superimposed on substantially its whole surface;

said rectangular framela'ndj adaptedjto cever 3. A scaffoldadaptable for use in the window- I frame of a building comprising a rectangular frame having two longitudinal side members, a plurality of cross-wise members interconnecting said side members, an arm revoluble on and extending laterally and outwardly from each of said side members, said arms adapted to impinge, respectively, on the casings on both sides of said'window frame interiorly of said building, a depending leg, having a rearwardly extending portion, revolubly and slidably mounted on each of side members, said rearwardly extending portion adapted to be brought into abutting relation with the exterior side of the wall of said building, means to lock said depending legs in various positions on and lengthwise of said side members, a platform on said rectangular frame, two guy ropes, one end of each of which'is secured at the outer corners, respectively, ofsaid rectangular frame, and means to secure the opposite ends of said guy ropes to opposite sides of said'window frame.

4. A scaffold adapted to be secured in the window opening of a building comprising a rectangular frame structure having two longitudinal side I,

members the inner endsthereof restingon the;v

window seat in said opening,arms projectingv F outwardly from each side, respectively, of said frame and-adapted toengage theinteriorportions of the window casings "around said opening, legs on thes'aid side members extending downwardly to impinge on the wall of said building, exteriorly thereof, and contactingtherewith at a point lower in elevation thanvthe contacting point of said,

arms'with the window casings, {said armsand said-legs being 'revoluble on 'said-sidemembersfi whereby they may be'folded'to lie ina plane'- substantially coincident with that-in: which lies said rectangular frame, when said scaffold is' not in :service, means to secure said leg's'in various positions, longitudinally of said side members, whereby they may accommodate themselves to various thicknesses of wall of the build ing, and a platform, havinga railing thereon,

superimposed on said rectangular frame. I CYRUS H.-FARLEY. 

